Forgotten
by stephfarrow94
Summary: After being involved in a car crash due to Bel's recklessness, Fran loses all memories of his life in the Varia and that preceding it. Due to various reasons, no one but Squalo can look after the now-damaged Fran. SqualoXFran S26, yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

There were very few times in Fran's life he felt uncomfortable – but being in the car with Belphegor driving across cliff faces recklessly was one of those times, exactly what was happening now.

The blond drove like a maniac, and Fran had to wonder just who exactly gave him a license – or, more importantly, why the older man hadn't crashed the car yet.

"Bel-senpai…" Fran was careful to keep his emotionless mask up, despite how uneasy he was feeling – Bel was doing well over the speed limit as he drove across winding cliff faces, heading back to the Varia headquarters. "…Bel-senpai, you should really slow down."

"Shut up, brat," Bel growled, one hand picking at the lollies in his lap. "Maybe when you get your license you'll get off the prince's back about _his _driving and focus on your own."

"Bel-senpai, it's starting to _rain, _and these roads are slippery when it's wet."

"Kaching…" Bel considered throwing one of his raspberry lollies at the younger before deciding it would merely be a waste of good food. "Just shut up before I push you out of the car."

Fran didn't reply to these words, knowing it was useless trying to get through to his partner – if he kept pushing, it would only make the situation more dangerous. Instead, he stared out of the passenger window, down into the huge drop beside them.

The rain Fran had pointed out was now pelting down but Bel refused to slow the car, despite feeling the way the back tires were sliding out every now and then – if the boy had ever wondered if Bel had a death wish, this surely proved it.

_This sucks… _Fran closed his eyes as he struggled to control the shaking of his body. _I'm going to die before I'm even eighteen… All because a stupid fake prince thinks he's invincible… _

The familiar clicking of Bel's phone drew Fran's attention and, to his horror, he found the older man texting, the other's attention far from the road.

Before Fran could say anything about Bel's behaviour, the rail guard that drew ever closer to the front of their car screamed _you're going to die_ and, with the adrenaline that came with a near-death experience, leant over and grabbed the steering wheel, jerking the car into oncoming traffic.

"What the fuck?!" Bel pushed Fran away, his foot slamming down on the accelerator unintentionally as he forced the car out of the way of a truck heading straight for them. Hitting the brake as hard as he could, Bel felt the car spinning out of his control, heading straight for the edge of the cliff Fran had tried to avoid going over.

The sound of the windshield smashing and metal crunching as the car went through the barrier filled the air as the car fell from the road, falling onto the steep hill and rolling for what felt like an eternity.

Bel wasn't even sure how long it took before the car stopped rolling, resting on its side at the bottom of the hill, the black four-wheel-drive as battered as a coke can being ran over by a truck.

The blond didn't know where Fran was – he was probably buried beneath the wreckage somewhere. Bel himself was stuck, caught in between the dashboard and the seat, blood covering his aching body.

"Fran…?" Bel called weakly, hating how pathetic he sounded. He tried to get out of the car but, not only was he trapped by the crushed shell of the car, the door wouldn't open even if he _wasn't _trapped. "Fran!"

The only sounds Bel could hear was the hissing of the engine, the rain beating down on the car ferociously as if taunting him, his own whimpers and pleas for Fran to answer him.

The first and only thought that was running through Bel's mind was that he had lost Fran, just like he had lost Mammon.

With that acknowledgement in mind, Bel lost consciousness.

**_~~Fran~~_**

Fran had no idea where he was – all he knew was that it was night, it was cold and wet, and he seemed to be in bushland. His clothing was bloodied and torn, but there was no memory of _anything. _

Above him, a man with long silver hair stood by his side, his eyebrows creased as he frowned. Fran could see that the clothing the man wore looked just like his, and it made him wonder if that was a good or a bad thing.

_Where am I…? _Fran frowned as he pulled off whatever was weighing down his head, coming face-to-face with what he could only describe as a frog hat. Holding it close, finding it strangely comforting, Fran spoke his most-distressing thought. "…Who… Who am I…?"

The wreckage of a car lay not far from him, but Fran didn't pay it any attention, finding it distressing for reasons he didn't know. It looked as if it had been on fire earlier, but that only made his stomach churn more and more.

Looking back at the man to take his thoughts of the anxiety-inducing wreckage, Fran trembled. "…"

The man didn't speak; he merely reached out and picked Fran up, bringing him into his arms.

The boy whimpered and gasped in pain as his body was jostled, feeling as if his entire body had been crushed, just like the car not far from them.

"It doesn't matter…" the man said in a gruff voice, almost as if he were upset about something and was trying to hide it. "Let's… just get back to headquarters…"

_Headquarters…? _Fran's head throbbed angrily as he tried to think about the man's words. _…H-hurts…_

"Looks like that little shit did it this time…" the man mumbled, bringing Fran to a car that was parked a few feet away from them, looking identical to the one that lay in a mess further away.

For whatever reason, the idea of getting into the car made Fran nervous, but he couldn't protest – his body hurt too much to put up a fight.

The silver-haired man shifted Fran into one arm as he opened the back door, pulling a blanket from the seats. He wrapped the boy into it before kicking the door closed and moving to the passenger side seat, placing Fran on that one instead.

The whole idea of being in a car – not just this one, but _any _car – terrified Fran, and it was then he realised – he must have been part of the wreckage. Had he crashed the car? Or had someone else been driving?

Fran trembled as the man drove slowly through the bushland, sticking close to the base of the hill before taking a trail up to the road above them Fran could see.

The rest of the trip was silent, and Fran could only wonder; who was he and where was this man taking him?


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing Fran said as he stepped into a large mansion not long after getting in the car with the long-haired man was, "What's my name?"

The man who had brought him here just sighed before he muttered a reply. "Fran…"

Teal eyes blinked innocently. "Oh… What's _your _name?"

"Squalo."

"That's a weird name – but it suits a weird guy," Fran pointed out.

"Voi!" Squalo growled, swinging his hand out as if he meant to slap the boy. "Still the same little shit as before, I see…"

"Can I go to bed now?" Fran questioned, a bored tone in his voice; it was almost as if the boy hadn't lost his memories. "Or will you try and rape me in my sleep?"

"Voi! Stupid brat!" Squalo shouted angrily. "You should be saying that to_ Luss!_"

"Luss?" Fran blinked again. "Is this household full of freaks or something?"

"Why the fuck did I go back to look for you?" Squalo recalled the way he had found Fran hiding behind a rock, almost as if he were afraid of being found – but this brat was far from the timid teenager he had found earlier.

"Because I'm super awesome?" Fran guessed.

The silver-haired male snorted. "Like fuck you are, kid. And, no; you aren't going to bed until Luss checks you over."

"Is he a pervert?" Fran asked. "Will he molest me in my sleep?"

Squalo couldn't help but laugh at this question. "You know, you asked the same about Levi when you first came here."

Fran was curious as to who these people were, but he figured he'd find out soon enough.

With Squalo's support, the boy was able to limp up the long staircase, making a new world record for slowest stair climber in the Varia.

They stopped outside a closed door before Squalo knocked, receiving a high-pitched, "Who is it~?" in reply.

"It's Squalo," said man answered. "I've got the little shit with me."

There was a loud squeal on the other side of the door and, seconds later, it was flung open. A strange-looking man with a part of green hair and a red Mohawk wrapped his arms around the frail body before him, just glad their two youngest members had survived the accident.

"Goodness, Fran, you had us all worried~" Lussuria cried as he wiped a spot of blood from the boy's cheek. "When the nurses told us that they only found Bel in the car, we thought for sure the worst had happened! We were all so worried! Squalo drove out all the way just to see if he could find you!"

"My guess is he went through the windshield," Squalo added. "He's amnesiac, though. He didn't know who I or even himself was."

"Oh, my poor dear!" Lussuria tightened his hold on the boy, crushing Fran's face into his chest. "Poor thing! Let's go down to the infirmary, okay? Mama Luss will fix you up, honey."

Fran didn't speak; he was too busy wincing in pain as the overwhelming hug the man had in him felt as if his bones were crushing to dust.

"L-let go…" Fran moaned, pushing as best he could against the older male. "You're h-hurting me…"

Lussuria clicked his tongue as he released Fran. He looked over the boy's state, seeing the blood-stained, torn clothing that still adorned his body – it was clear that there were some serious injuries beneath the tatters, and he wanted to attend to them straight away lest an infection set in.

"Let's go," Lussuria said gently, grabbing Fran's hand.

Squalo watched as the two left the corridor, disappearing down the stairwell to the infirmary. He knew he should tell Belphegor that his partner had been found as the blond had been distressed about it earlier, so he made his way into the younger's bedroom.

Bel was lying in his bed, covered in bandages as he stared up at the roof. He turned towards the door at the sound of it opening, his face and neck hidden by white strips.

"Bel?" Squalo closed the door behind him. "We found Fran. The only issue is… He must have hit his head pretty hard, because… We believe he has amnesia."

Bel didn't reply to these words, the guilt for causing the accident eating at him. He should have known Fran would do something as stupid as jerking the car in front of a truck – he should have paid more attention to what he was doing instead of making the younger uncomfortable enough to feel the need to take control.

"…Why… wasn't he in the car…?" Bel asked quietly, his voice scratchy.

"I was looking at the wreckage," Squalo admitted. "He probably went through the windshield. Was he wearing his seatbelt?"

"…I don't… remember…" Bel admitted. "…I… I don't remember what… Only Froggy grabbing the wheel…"

"I hope you've learnt your lesson about driving so recklessly on _cliffs, _Bel," Squalo said. "You're _both _lucky to be alive – especially since the car caught on fire with you _in _it."

"I don't… remember that…"

"Yeah, I'm not surprised," the older male admitted. "Luss is tending to him now. You should get some sleep."

Bel nodded, rolling slowly onto his side.

Squalo left the room quietly, leaving Bel to rest. It really _had _been amazing the two hadn't been killed, Bel escaping with broken bones, gashes and burns – and from what he had noticed of Fran, cuts, broken bones and amnesia.

_**~~In the infirmary~~**_

Fran hissed as Lussuria slipped his thumb back into place, the joint having been dislocated. He stared in wonder at the peacock that was sitting by them peacefully, wondering why it was there.

"Ne, Lussuria?" Fran jerked his head at the peacock. "Why is that here?"

"He's on standby, hun," Lussuria explained as he tipped some ointment onto a cloth. "I'd rather treat your injuries like this while we're in no hurry."

Fran didn't understand what the other meant, but he didn't press the issue, feeling uncomfortable in this strange place.

"Can I go to sleep when you're done?" Fran asked, his teal eyes conveying how tired he was.

Lussuria frowned as he pondered over whether or not it would be a good idea – if the boy had a head injury he hadn't noticed… "I'd rather you stay up tonight, sweetie – just in case your head isn't as okay as I think. You can sleep tomorrow, okay? We don't want you falling into a coma or anything."

Fran didn't like to hear that he wasn't allowed to sleep, but he understood – his body had been battered enough as it is.

"…Luss…?"

"Yes?" Lussuria wiped the cloth over Fran's face, cleaning out the gashes he found.

"…What happened…? For me to forget everything, I mean."

"You were in a car accident, honey," Lussuria explained tenderly. "You might have seen what was left of the car. We only found out because some officers came here and told us they had pulled Bel out of a burning car. They didn't know there was another passenger because they hadn't found anyone else when they searched."

"…I…" Fran bit his lip as he looked at the ground. "…I woke up, and… I-I was scared… I hid… I didn't know…"

"It's okay, honey," Lussuria soothed. "It's not your fault. All that matters is you're back here with us."

"But I don't remember _anything!" _Fran frowned in frustration. "I don't… know any of you…"

"You do," Lussuria whispered, pulling Fran into a hug. "You just don't remember us. That's all."

"Lussuria, I…" Tears welled up in Fran's eyes, the confusion and anxiety he was feeling overwhelming him. "…I really want… to sleep…"

"Tomorrow, sweetie. I promise. Tomorrow. Want to help me bake a cake?"

"Who… who cooks a cake at…" Fran glanced at the clock sitting on a counter across from them, "…at three in the morning?"

Lussuria laughed, ruffling teal hair. "Mama Luss. That's who. Come on. We'll bake cookies, too."

Fran sighed as he stood up, putting his weight onto his right leg – it hurt too much to use his left, Lussuria had diagnosed it as being broken.

The flamboyant man wrapped his arm around Fran, supporting him as they walked out of the infirmary. He was careful to walk slow, taking his time for Fran and, when they entered the kitchen, placed a chair at the bench so that Fran could sit.

With firm instructions to work the dough for Lussuria and do nothing that would cause further harm to his body, Fran was silent as he sat where he was, so many thoughts running through his mind.

_Who am I? Who are these people? What have I forgotten? Why was I in a car crash? What caused it? Who was in the car with me? Are they still alive? Did they die? …Will… Will they hurt me if I stay here…? Do I _really _know them, or… Or have they kidnapped me and lied to me…?_

Unable to find an answer for any of his questions, Fran started crying, far too exhausted to be able to control his emotions.

Lussuria comforted him as best he could, but he knew that, sometimes, your best just isn't enough.


	3. Chapter 3

In the long week that had passed since Fran had been brought back to the Varia, the other members had found it exhausting to deal with both the boy and Bel at the same time – especially since the only two members putting in the effort to look after them were Squalo and Lussuria. Xanxus refused to do anything for them, his reasoning that Bel shouldn't have been so reckless – and Levi, only ever wanting to make the boss proud of him, followed like a sheep to its flock.

While Bel was on strict bed-rest, he hadn't seen Fran since the accident had happened, unable to leave his room. Fran, though they shared bedrooms, hadn't wanted to go in and see who he had been told was the one who had caused the accident – he was both nervous to meet another new person he couldn't remember, and _scared _of how he would react; he didn't think he'd be happy with the one who had done this to him, and after hearing how the other was badly injured, he didn't want to risk anything happening by his hand. Instead, the boy had taken to sleeping with Squalo, the silver-haired man strangely enough accepting of him.

Right now, Squalo and Fran were sitting in in the kitchen as Lussuria cooked them breakfast; they were the only three awake so far – Squalo only because he had a mission soon.

"Fran, dear, will you be okay when Squalo goes?" Lussuria questioned, scraping some pancakes onto a plate for the youngest member.

"Huh?" Fran looked at Squalo, his teal eyes full of fear; it was almost as if he thought the older male was leaving and never coming back. "Where are you going…?"

"Just on a mission," Squalo reassured as he cut off a section of his pancake. "I'll be back in a few days."

The silver-haired man thought nothing of Fran's whimper until tiny arms wrapped around him, Fran burying his face in Squalo's chest.

"I don't want you to leave, Squalo…" Teal eyes looked up to meet grey ones, and Squalo honestly felt bad about the tears that were welling in them.

Patting teal hair in an effort to bring comfort to the younger, Squalo cleared his throat, uttering a soft "Voi…" in discomfort.

"He won't be gone long, honey," Lussuria soothed. He brought Fran's plate over to the table and set it in front of the boy. "That's what happens here; we all have to leave sooner or later, but we always come back."

"But I don't feel comfortable here without him…" Fran placed his face back against the man's chest, tightening his hold. "I… I don't feel safe…"

Squalo looked at Lussuria, his eyes pleading the flamboyant male to do something about this. He pushed gently at Fran's shoulders, very uncomfortable with this position; he was an awkward person when it came to physical contact, and he avoided it as much as he could.

Lussuria placed his hands on small shoulders, pursing his lips. He knew Fran wasn't the same as he was before the accident, but he hadn't realised the boy didn't feel safe with them. Was that why he only seemed to want to be around Squalo?

It did make sense; Squalo was the one to come and get him after the accident, after all. It was probably natural he'd feel best around the silver-haired man.

"But you can stay in the kitchen with me and help me bake cookies, Fran, sweetie." Lussuria smiled and wrapped his arms around Fran, hoping he could help the younger boy.

Fran shook his head. "I don't want to… I don't want Squalo to leave…"

"Get off me, brat," Squalo mumbled, pushing harder at the younger. "You're too close."

"What's going on?"

Squalo and Lussuria turned to look at the kitchen entrance at Bel's voice, finding the young man limping into the room with a crutch under one arm, the other still in its sling.

"Bel!" Lussuria hurried to the blond's side, trying to direct him back upstairs. "You shouldn't be walking so soon! Go back to bed!"

"But the prince is _bored_." Bel sighed as if to emphasise his point. "There's nothing to do in his bed except jack off, and he's bored of that already."

Fran, who had fallen oddly silent at the blond's entrance, turned to look at him. As soon as his teal eyes fell on the blond, he whimpered, his head feeling as if it were about to explode.

"Brat?" Squalo looked down at the shaking body in his arms, concerned about the tears that trailed down Fran's cheeks as he continuously whimpered, reaching up to rip at his teal locks.

"It hurts…" Fran sobbed and started thrashing in Squalo's arms, flashes of a scene he didn't remember crossing his mind.

The boy heard the blond's voice in his mind's eye, telling him to shut up. There was a flash of a truck, the blond jerking the wheel, a loud, deafening crunch as a guardrail gave way. It was black after that, but he could hear continuous bangs, glass shattering, the screeching of tires somewhere in the background as horns kept beeping.

"Fran!" Squalo had started to shake the boy, not knowing what else to do. He was worried greatly, having never seen Fran like this before. "Fran, what's wrong?!"

Lussuria, who was still over by the entrance with Bel, clicked his tongue as he frowned. "I think he's recovering memories. Hold him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself, Squalo."

Squalo wrapped his arms tightly around Fran's waist, trying to hold him still. He grunted as the boy's elbow flew out of nowhere and knocked him in the face, reaching up a hand to hold where he had been hit.

"The fuck is wrong with you, kid?" Squalo snarled, grabbing hold of Fran's wrist. He squeezed it tightly, almost as if he were trying to break it. "Don't fucking hit me like that!"

"Squalo, he didn't mean it!" Lussuria moved to Squalo's side, taking Fran from him. He felt the boy curl up against him, shuddering in pain as his cries slowly died down. "Let him calm down. He's in pain and probably scared."

Bel just watched, his mouth set in a firm frown. When he spoke, it was in a small, uncertain voice. "Did… Was that _my_ fault…?"

"No, sweetie," Lussuria reassured. "Sometimes it's unexplained how this happens. Maybe it was a smell or something that triggered the memory. I'm sure it wasn't you."

Bel looked at his feet, his shoulders tensing uncomfortably. He knew it was his fault this had all happened, and it was eating away at him.

_If only I had been more conscious of how he was feeling… _Bel looked at the ground, his body tense. _I nearly killed us both… Probably would have if Fran didn't do what he did…_

Though it took a few minutes, Fran eventually calmed down, his tiny hands fisting tightly the fur around Lussuria's jacket. He hiccupped a little, his cheek resting against the man's chest.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Lussuria asked, wiping away tears with his sleeve.

"The accident…" Fran mumbled, closing his eyes. "…I remember it…"

"It mustn't be a very pleasant memory," the older male soothed. "Want to help me with lunch today? We're going to have fettuccini."

Fran shook his head. "I want… to go with Squalo…"

Lussuria bit his lip as he looked at the silver-haired male. There was silence for a few seconds before the gay man said, "I'm not sure if that's a very good idea, sweetie."

"Why not? What are these 'missions' everyone talks about?"

_What if we tell him the truth about us? About _him? Lussuria wondered. _He's a sweet child, but even with his memories intact, he was _too _sweet… He's never gotten his hands dirty, unlike the rest of us… He's just too kind-hearted to be a killer…_

"I have to go and meet someone," Squalo said, careful to avoid telling the other of his true objective. "They're a bad person, and I have to watch them and get evidence of their wrong doings."

Fran wiped at his eyes. "C-can I come…?"

Squalo and Lussuria shared a look that screamed _No!, _but they knew things would be hard if they said that to the teenager; Fran was adamant on staying with Squalo, no matter what.

"…If you stay in the car when I go to meet him," Squalo gave in. "Is that a promise? You can't come into the building when we have our meeting, no matter what."

"I promise," Fran replied, rubbing his now-itching eyes.

Squalo sighed as he checked the time on his watch, annoyed to see that he was going to have to hurry up and pack a bag for Fran – he wouldn't even get to finish the breakfast he had barely touched, either.

"I'll get him clothes," Squalo growled as he stood up, moving past Bel who was still watching the scene warily.

Lussuria, who noticed this, flagged the blond down. "Fran, this is Bel."

Fran didn't look at the blond as Bel took a seat across from where Lussuria had sat him back down – he instead kept his head down, almost as if he didn't want Bel to be there.

"Where will Squalo and I be going?" Fran asked, poking at his now-cold pancake with a knife.

"Well, another town, darling," Lussuria explained. "It will take a few hours to get there; the mission is what's going to take a while."

"Will I have to stay in the car all that time?"

"No, sweetie; Squalo will get a motel for you to stay in; but sometimes it's unavoidable to be delayed."

"Oh. Okay."

It was silent again until Squalo returned fifteen minutes later with a backpack in his hands. He gestured for Fran to follow him and, after the boy said goodbye to Lussuria, Fran did.

"Are we going now?" Fran asked, looking up at the tall man.

Squalo nodded, thrusting the backpack towards the younger. "Take your shit, kid."

Fran accepted the backpack, holding it to his chest as he followed Squalo through the mansion and out to the garage.

The boy's stomach started twisting at the sight of the cars parked in the huge room. There was the four-wheel-drive Squalo had brought him back in, another replica of it, complete with the Varia's logo on the side, a black Lexus, a white Mercedes-Benzes, and a sleek black BMW.

Images that had presented themselves in his head earlier played over and over again in Fran's mind, and he started to tremble at the thought of getting in one of the cars here – _any _car for that matter.

Squalo had grabbed a set of keys from the hooks sitting next to the doorway they had just come through and made his way over to the Mercedes-Benzes. He looked back at Fran, sighing as he noticed the look of fright on the young face.

"Do you want to come with me or not?" Squalo called, more than happy to leave him behind – in fact, that was exactly what he wanted to do.

Fran nodded, forcing himself over to Squalo. He pulled the door open with a shaking hand, his heart racing as he climbed into the passenger seat. He almost immediately grabbed the seatbelt, clipping it in tight.

Squalo didn't comment on Fran's behaviour, knowing it would most likely be due to the fact that he _had _been involved in a serious car accident not long ago.

It was silent between them as Squalo clicked the remote sitting on the dashboard, lifting the garage door up for them to drive out. It was still quiet as he drove through the garden on the long, winding road to the front gates, and even as they pulled out onto the street, he didn't speak, mindful of the fact Fran needed to relax.

Hell, he was even staying _under _the speed limit if that was what it took to make Fran calm.

"Squalo…?" Fran mumbled five minutes after leaving the mansion.

The addressed man turned to look at Fran, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"I… I need to pee..."

Squalo was already regretting letting the boy come along with him.


	4. Chapter 4

Squalo had never found himself as frustrated with a mission as he did right now – but it was all because Fran kept asking for him to either stop the car so he wouldn't start panicking, or the boy acted as if Squalo was about to crash the vehicle despite him doing absolutely nothing wrong.

Squalo tried his best to stay patient with the boy, but there were still times he snapped at Fran, telling him to stop sooking and shut up. The younger male hadn't appreciated it at all, but he didn't comment on it, instead wrapping his arms tight around himself as he drew his knees to his chest, crying into them.

And now, almost eight hours after they _should _have arrived at the town Squalo's mission was located in, the man was carrying a sleeping Fran into a hotel, the cold night air sending shivers down Fran's spine.

The woman behind the reservation desk smiled as they entered the building, her long, curly brown hair flowing languidly down her back.

"Late night?" The woman asked, smiling at the boy curled up peacefully in Squalo's arms.

Squalo shrugged. "Don't ask. Room for two."

The woman was quick as she signed them in, handing them a key for room thirty-two. She watched as Squalo snatched the key in a disgruntled manner, his eyes heavily lidded with dark bags beneath them; the man must have been exhausted, she thought.

"Come on, shithead…" Squalo muttered to his sleeping companion as he drudged up the stairs and to their room. Fran just tightened the hold his tiny fist had on Squalo's Varia jacket, a soft mumble escaping his lips.

Traversing the staircase had been tiring, and the Strategy Captain was relieved to find his room just a minute after stepping into the corridor.

The long-haired male shifted Fran as he worked to unlock the door and, when he stepped in, he moved the younger just enough to switch the light on.

The room itself wasn't two bad; there was a bathroom to their right, a small TV stand to their left, just a little further into the room. Two beds rested against the far wall next to the blue-curtained window, a bedside table separating them.

Taking Fran to the closest bed, Squalo shook him awake. "Wake up, brat."

Fran moaned and tossed his head as he felt someone sit him down on something soft. "Mmm…"

Squalo knew it wasn't fair to wake the boy at four in the morning after such a long and stressful car trip, but he wanted Fran to get changed into his pyjamas so he was more comfortable sleeping in them instead of his Varia uniform.

Squalo dropped the two bags that were hanging off his arm to the floor, kicking his travel bag away in favour for Fran's backpack.

Fran lay back on the bed, closing his eyes again as he tried to go back to sleep. Squalo just growled and shouted at him, forcing him back into a sitting position.

"N-no!" Fran protested loudly as his jacket was ripped from his frail body, not wanting to do anything other than sleep. "Go away!"

"Voi!" Squalo pulled the black turtleneck Fran had been wearing beneath his uniform over the younger's head, a frog-patterned pair of pyjamas lying next to them. "Keep it up and people will think I'm raping you!"

"You are!" Fran snapped, jerking away from the strong hands that tried to get him into his pyjama top. "You're raping my sleep!"

"That makes no sense!" Squalo roared as he got to his feet, throwing the boy's pyjama top onto the bed. He kicked his own bag over to the spare bed, too exhausted to deal with this. "What-fucking-ever! Sleep in your uncomfortable uniform!"

Fran didn't reply, already beneath the blankets, too tired to put any piece of clothing over his naked torso. He was laying on his side, his back to Squalo, and the older man wasn't sure if he was already asleep again or not.

Squalo muttered angrily to himself as he dressed himself in his own pyjamas, light blue material built for the cold.

_Stupid little shit… _Squalo snatched his phone from the pocket of his uniform jacket, stomping over to the light-switch. _He should be grateful I took the time to care about him… _

Bathing the room in darkness, Squalo used the light of his phone to guide him towards his bed.

The mattress wasn't uncomfortable, but the white blankets could have been thicker for such cold weather.

_I mean, it's not like _I _was obligated to dress him so he'd be more comfortable, right…? _Squalo didn't know why Fran's resistance bothered him so much; all he knew was that he had tossed and turned for countless minutes, fretting over it. _I didn't have to bother scarring my mind by seeing the brat naked, but I did it anyway – even if I only got his shirt off. _

_It's not like I want to see him naked or anything… Right…? _Squalo was feeling _very _uncomfortable with where his thoughts were heading. _So why do I feel annoyed I only got so far?_

_Voi… I really need to go out and get laid some more…_

Squalo tried his hardest to get back to sleep, to stop his thoughts about Fran from plaguing his mind.

The man was almost successful in his attempt, on the brink of sleep, and then –

"Fuck!" Squalo's body jerked uncontrollably, his heart racing as he sat up, searching for danger. At first, he didn't know what had startled him so badly, thinking it was probably just a hypnic jerk, something he experienced every now and then.

It wasn't until Fran mumbled from beside the long-haired male did Squalo realise he had just reacted instinctively towards an unexpected touch as he slept; Fran had climbed into the bed next to him, cuddling in close to his body.

"Squalo…?" Fran yawned. "Can you lay back down…? Your chest made a comfortable pillow…"

"Little shit," Squalo snarled as he did as requested, feeling a small head come to rest on his chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack. If I had my sword with me, I'd have killed you."

"You never minded me sleeping with you before…" Fran mumbled in a sleepy tone.

"Yeah, but I _knew _you were next to me when I fell asleep…" Squalo sighed as he ran a hand through teal hair. "…Just don't get into bed with me when I'm already asleep – it won't end well next time."

"What?" Fran was on the verge of sleep and, though he didn't know why he replied in such a snarky manner, it felt almost natural to him. "Do you have wet dreams about me or something?"

"Voi!" Squalo sneered. "Fucking shithead, you are. Should have left you back home."

Squalo's words were wasted on the boy, Fran fast asleep once more. He sighed, wrapping an arm around the half-naked boy, holding him close.

_You're a little bastard, Fran… _Squalo thought as he felt himself slipping into oblivion – sleep came so much easier now that he had Fran beside him once more. _Should… put your mouth to better use one day…_

With that thought, the two males were fast asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N I wrote this chapter in the break room at work as I was waiting to start. Because my manger had to meet with our support manager, I noticed as I read through I got confused and wrote a few random words and sometimes accidentally used first person. I think I've fixed all the confusion up, but if anyone notices something they think is probably a result of my distraction, please let me know so I can fix it. **

When Fran awoke the next morning, he was surprised to find that Squalo wasn't in the bed anymore. The spot where the man had slept last night was still warm, meaning he mustn't have left very long ago.

The sounds of a shower were audible, and the teal-haired boy realised that was where the long-haired male had gone.

Fran yawned as he sat up, shivering a little as the blanket fell from his naked torso, the cold morning air hitting him like a bunch of ice cubes.

"Squalo...?" The boy climbed out of the bed, grabbing his black turtleneck and Varia jacket Squalo had taken off him last night from the floor. He slipped them back on, a little happier now that he was warming up.

Moving to the bathroom to his left, the Mist Guardian was quiet as he opened the door, suddenly overwhelmed by a heap of steam.

Squalo, who had been in the middle of shampooing his long hair when Fran walked in, shouted as he fumbled in surprise, not used to people walking in on him as he showered.

"Voi!" Squalo roared as a strand of his long hair hit him in the eye, the shampoo burning it already. He raised a hand to his eye as he turned to look at Fran, using his free hand to cover himself. "Fran, you shithead! Get the fuck out!"

Fran just stood where he was, a dark blush coming to his face. He didn't know why he had just walked in like this, having not thought it through before getting out of the bed; all he knew was that he had wanted to be back by Squalo's side.

"Don't just fucking stand there!" Squalo roared, grabbing the bottle of shampoo he had placed on the shower rack behind him, throwing it at the boy. "Get the fuck out!"

Fran just blushed harder, not quite understanding why his body was suddenly feeling as warm it was when the weather was so cold.

"S-sorry..." Fran turned around quickly and left, feeling very embarrassed about what he had just done. He honestly hadn't thought at all about Squalo being naked as he showered; all he wanted was to say good morning to him and give him a hug.

Fran could feel the way his pants tightened as he replayed the image of Squalo's naked body over and over again in his mind. He wasn't entirely sure why such a thing would be arousing for him – he had been certain that, even without his memories, he had been straight. Well... he actually hadn't thought about it at all, but he had never felt the need to question his sexuality – it just hadn't seemed important at all when he was more stressed about his amnesia.

_Could I be gay...? _Fran frowned, not sure how he felt about the possibility – he didn't feel as if he were a homophobe, but he also didn't feel comfortable with liking boys. _What if I am? Does anyone know? What if they don't because they're against them? What if... What if _I'm _against it, and I _do _turn out to be gay...? _

Fran was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't notice the shower turning off. He was vaguely aware of the bathroom door opening, and it wasn't until Squalo called out to him did he snap back to reality.

"Voi! Shithead!"

Fran jumped as he turned to look at Squalo, noticing the way the man was dressed once more in their Varia uniform. "Y-yeah...?"

"Stop spacing out like that; you're making me feel as if you're fantasising about me." Squalo didn't sound as if he were joking. "It's uncomfortable."

Fran blinked before he replied, "Am I gay?"

Squalo snorted. "Fuck if I know. You never showed interest in anyone. Don't think you've ever jacked off before, either."

"Oh..." _Well, that doesn't help me understand... _"...Well... Are _you _gay, Squalo?"

"No." Squalo snorted again. "I'm bi, you dumbass."

"Then..." the pieces slowly fit themselves together in his mind; if Squalo was bisexual, he surely couldn't be a homophobe... right...?

"Don't get the wrong idea, kid," Squalo continued. "I may be bi, but _that _side of me disgusts me."

"Oh..." _Then that means I probably won't be accepted if I _am _gay... _"...What... What if... What if I'm... G-gay...?"

"Then you can keep your filthy germs to yourself and go fuck around with Lussuria," Squalo spat, almost as if the idea of Fran being gay offended him. _Like fuck I'm going to let him touch me ever again if he _is _gay... Filthy! _"Now shut the fuck up and let me get ready."

Fran closed his mouth, feeling his eyes tearing up; it hurt to have Squalo snap at him like this – all he wanted was for the older man to accept him.

Squalo, who noticed the strange glinting in those teal eyes, sighed as he reached out, patting teal hair. He then knelt down, grabbing his bag as he retrieved his hairbrush from its confines.

Fran pulled his knees to his chest, holding them as he rocked back and forth, watching the Rain Guardian curiously; he had never before taken notice of how well the man took care of his hair, brushing out the slightest tangle so that it was silky smooth.

"Your hair is really pretty," Fran said, extending an arm to touch at the silver hair. "Why is it so long?"

"Because I fucking want it to be!" Squalo snapped. As much as he was trying to keep his temper with the boy, he was in a foul mood today and didn't want to have to put up with Fran. "Now shut it!"

Fran was silent once more, pulling his hand down to poke at the mattress instead. He listened as Squalo continued getting himself ready, the background noise slowly fading away to nothing as he started thinking again.

_If Squalo is bisexual, why is he acting like this...? _Fran sighed. _I thought he would understand what it's like to be confused... I thought he might even be able to help me... But here he is, treating me like a disease... I don't... I don't even _know _if I'm gay or not, and he's..._

Fran jumped as his shoulders were grabbed by Squalo's large hands. He tried to turn around and see why the man was sitting behind him on the bed, but he was met with a hairbrush to the head instead.

"Voi! Keep fucking still!" Squalo snapped, waving his hairbrush around in the air threateningly. "Do it, or I'm going to hit you again!"

Fran tensed instinctively, but he soon found himself relaxing as Squalo's aggressive nature was contradicted by how gently the man was brushing the boy's hair.

_I don't remember anyone ever brushing my hair for me... _Fran frowned before he continued on with the thought, _...But then again, I don't remember a lot of things..._

"I'm leaving soon for the mission," Squalo growled out. "You can stay here and wait for me to come back."

"But you said I could come and stay in the car," Fran protested. "Please?"

"You don't even _like _cars! Make up your fucking mind, brat!"

"Cars are okay as long as you're with me..." Fran whispered, fumbling with his hands. "I just... don't trust them if you're not there... That accident... It was so scary..."

Squalo sighed. Why was he giving in to this kid so much? It was almost as if he was getting a _soft _side to him with the way he was bending to Fran's every wish. "What-fucking-ever. But get out of that car just _once _when I'm gone, and I'll..."

Fran nodded. "I'll stay in the car as long as you keep the heater running for me."

"Alright. Go brush your teeth; your morning breath is atrocious."

Fran huffed as he got off the bed, moving to his backpack to grab his toothbrush and some toothpaste. "At least _my _morning breath doesn't smell as if I was eating shit all night."

"Voi! Little bastard!"

Fran disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Squalo by himself. The older male was annoyed – _very _annoyed; he hadn't woken up about to jizz his pants since he was eighteen, and the fact that his dreams had involved a _very _naughty Fran made things worse.

_Little fuck probably doesn't even _have _a sex drive... _Squalo thought to himself as he moved to put his boots on. _That'll explain why he's never shown an interest in anything sexual before. So why am I dreaming about him? _

_Fucking body – such a traitor. I haven't felt anything for another male for almost ten years now – I don't want to start again, and with _that _little brat to boot. _

As Squalo waited for Fran to get himself ready, he occupied himself with the TV, distracting himself from his thoughts.

For a Stategy Captain of the Varia, second in command of the strongest assassination squad, Squalo made a lot of mistakes – bringing Fran on this mission was a disaster waiting to happen.


	6. Chapter 6

Fran wasn't entirely sure why Squalo wouldn't let him go into the building with him, but he did know that he was very uneasy sitting in the parked car by himself outside the building; other cars were flying past him, and he was almost certain that one of them would hit him.

"Squalo…" Fran pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he stared at the tall building next to him. He wasn't sure how many floors there were to it, but there sure were a lot of windows.

The boy wanted Squalo to come back already, finding it difficult to cope being by himself in the car with so many others rushing past him; all he could remember was the fragmented memory about his own accident that had returned to him.

Fran knew that if he stayed in the car any longer, he was going to throw up from how frightened he was – and if he did that, Squalo would _not _be happy with him at all. Should he stay in the car and wait it out? Or should he get out and go find Squalo?

What if Squalo would be mad with him for disobeying orders? …But then, he'd still be mad if the boy threw up in his car…

_Maybe if I try and find him and explain to him about how I'm feeling… _Fran nodded to himself as he unlocked his door and opened it, stepping out onto the sidewalk.

The cold air sent shivers down Fran's spine as he walked towards the same building he had watched Squalo enter earlier, completely unaware of the fact that a Varia uniform usually meant trouble – and he was still wearing his, believing it to be nothing of importance.

_**~~Squalo~~**_

The body count Squalo was creating continued to grow as he searched for the man he had been told to kill. He was worried about Fran, hoping the boy would stay in the car – hopefully sleep while he was alone – and not cause any more trouble for him.

However, the man couldn't help but shake the feeling that Fran hadn't listened to him after all.

_Nothing I can do about it now, _Squalo thought to himself as he moved on to the next room. He questioned the occupants about their boss' whereabouts, only to receive nothing but fear in return. He sighed, ending their lives as quick as he could – he was starting to care less about his mission and more about going out to check on Fran.

The Varia's Rain didn't know how long he had been in here for, but he did know that he had searched at least ten floors already, and he had yet to find the target for his mission.

_This is fucking – voi! What the fuck is _Fran _doing here?! _Squalo's eyes widened as he heard his comrade cry out for him, almost as if he were frightened. _Shit! _

Squalo put his mission to the back of his mind, focusing instead on finding Fran – he didn't know where the younger was or what was happening to him; all he knew was that he had to _protect _him.

"Fran!" Squalo tried following the Mist Guardian's voice, and it eventually lead him into one of the rooms he had recently vacated, having not found his target in there earlier.

By the time the older Varia member came face-to-face with the man in the photo he had been given during the mission briefing, he also found Fran tied to a chair with a blindfold hiding his teal eyes.

The man in question who had a hold of the boy was a dark-haired burly man, with squinty eyes and yellow teeth. He held a knife to Fran's throat, a droplet of red liquid sliding down the younger's throat.

"Voi!" Squalo raised his sword, pointing it at the man. His eyes narrowed, angrier than he had been all day – and he just wasn't sure who he was angry at or why; Fran was disobeying orders and getting used as a hostage? Or this fat fuck who was using him like this? "Let him go!"

The man sneered, pressing the blade deeper into Fran's throat. He didn't speak, but Squalo had been in this business long enough to know that the shorter male was _afraid_; the way he tried to hide his trembling body and act all cocky gave it away – the only card in survival he had was playing with Fran's life.

The boy, who was terrified himself, cried. He shook his head desperately in an attempt to get the blindfold off, but it was no use – not until the man ripped it from him.

"S-squalo!" Fran shivered as he cried out, too scared to know what was happening – all he knew was that he and Squalo were in _danger. _ "Squalo, help!"

"Hold on, Fran!" Squalo ran at the man, intent on at least getting him away from the boy.

Fran didn't know what he had done, but all of a sudden, he felt a pressure in both his head and his eyes seconds before the room caught on fire.

Squalo cussed, wasting no time as he cut down the man. He cut the ropes binding the boy to the chair and, with one strong arm, picked him up and carried him out of the room.

The teal-haired male was horrified – everywhere they went, his head started throbbing as fire seemed to follow them everywhere they went. His superior, however, knew exactly what this was – without knowledge of his own powers, Fran's real illusions were being used as a last resort to protect him, and he had no idea he was doing it himself.

"Fran, you need to concentrate!" Squalo roared as he flew down the long flight of stairs. "Fran! Don't focus on your fear! Empty your mind! _Now!"_

Fran just whimpered and shook his head, burying his face in Squalo's chest.

The Rain Guardian had no choice but to keep running, lest they be consumed by the fire swallowing everything behind them. He really had no idea how Fran used his illusions, but he could only imagine the fire was a manifestation built on his terror – if he could just get Fran to stop _thinking…!_

_Exit! _Squalo sighed in relief as he saw the doors he had entered the building through pop up from around the corner. He quickened his pace, trying to get out as fast as he could, but –

"_Squalo!_" Fran screamed as the ceiling above them fell to the floor, a mess of fire consuming them.

Squalo blocked Fran beneath his body, gritting his teeth as he felt his body burn like a piece of paper. He pushed Fran out from beneath him, muttering for the boy to run before his world went black.

Fran could only stare at Squalo as tears ran down his cheeks, watching as the man was eaten by the ravaging fire. It was then his head and his eyes started to hurt more than he could ever remember them hurting, and a loud _boom! _was all he heard before everything went black.


	7. Chapter 7

**This chapter's only a short one as I found it rather difficult to write. **

When Fran came to, he was lying in what seemed to be a hospital room; the walls and benches surrounding him were white, as was the bed and blankets he had.

Groaning, the boy pushed himself into a sitting position with his elbows, looking around for Squalo. His body hurt and, looking down, he noticed he had quite a few bandages wrapped around it, most noticeable on his skinny limbs.

Fran couldn't remember what had happened for him to be here – all he remembered was getting out of the car to go and look for Squalo.

"S-squalo…?" Fran's call was met only by silence.

_**~~Squalo~~**_

Squalo was annoyed by the nurses who refused to let him go and check on Fran – just because he had burns covering the majority of his body didn't mean he'd never had worse injuries before; this was_ nothing. _

"Voi!" Squalo wasn't sure where his sword was, but if he had it here with him, he would most certainly have brandished it in the air as he threatened the lives of the women who were only trying to help him. "The little shithead _needs _me!"

"And _you _need rest!"

"The fuck I do!" Squalo roared; he wondered if he would eventually get his way if he protested enough – it worked every other time he had to deal with people he didn't live with. "Let me out!"

"Sir, the police are on their way to talk to you. We need you to calm down or we're going to have to sedate you."

"Voi!" Squalo was beyond pissed – he knew that, as a Varia member, the police couldn't do shit to him, but he could only imagine how Fran would be if they decided to interview him. Should he keep his anger to himself for once? If only so that the nurses would leave him alone and he could sneak out to check on Fran? "Do you have any idea who the fuck I am?!"

"Sir, you need to relax!" the three nurses that were in the room with Varia's Rain were starting to become agitated by their patient's lack of cooperation and aggressiveness.

"Fuck you!" Squalo – out of pure instinct – swung his arm out when he sensed someone approach him. It wasn't until his fist connected with soft flesh and a feminine cry of pain sounded did the man realise what he had done; he had just attacked a nurse.

The woman in question had been knocked to the ground, blood streaming down her face from a gash on her forehead; she must have hit something on the way down, Squalo assumed.

Squalo, who had had enough of this, jumped out of the bed and stormed his way over to the door as best he could with a damaged leg. He paid no heed to the women behind him, instead poking his head into every room he came across until he found Fran, fast asleep in one of the private rooms.

The long-haired man entered the room and ripped the IV tubes from the boy's body. He heard Fran squeak as the younger was scooped up into strong arms, but he couldn't bring himself to care if he was hurting the other – he wanted _out _of this place. _Now. _

"We're leaving, shithead!" Squalo snapped at the boy. He was in too bad of a mood to care about the way Fran flinched and whimpered – the mission was completed, and he just wanted to get back to the Varia mansion.

Fran was almost too scared to tell Squalo that the tight hold the man had on him was irritating his burns; he couldn't remember ever seeing the older male this worked up, and he was almost afraid Squalo would take it out on him.

_He's scary when he's angry… _Fran was careful to not let a _sound _escape his lips; his fingers clung to the white hospital gown Squalo wore, and he could only wonder where they were going.

The Rain Guardian, however, knew exactly where they were going; they had to walk halfway across town just to get the car that had been abandoned by the building they had destroyed – and this fact only made Squalo angrier than usual.


	8. Chapter 8

**My MS Word died, so I'm using a program I haven't used in ****_years_****. I feel so... so ****_weird! _****I don't like change. Not at all. **

By the time Squalo and Fran returned back to Varia Headquarters, the other members were surprised to see the both of them covered in burns and bandages.

"What happened?" Bel questioned, tilting his head to the side. Lussuria had rushed off the couch he was sitting on, immediately getting to work on healing his comrades.

Leviathan sat by his boss' side while Xanxus merely sorted. "Trust the trash to be injured on an easy mission."

"Voi!" Squalo shoved Lussuria's hands away from his body as he stomped towards the older male. "_You _try taking that fucking kid on a mission with you!"

Fran ducked his head at these words, understanding that he had messed up - even if he didn't know how.

"What on Earth could Fran have to do with this?" Lussuria questioned, examining said boy's arm, trying to predict if the burns would leave permanent wounds.

"How about you try fucking teaching him to control his fucking _illusions?_" Squalo spat. "Little shit nearly _killed _us."

"Dear, you know that's not possible - none of us are illusionists." The Sun Guardian carefully unwrapped one of the bandages covering Fran's wrist, getting a good look at the burnt flesh beneath it.

"Illusions...?" Fran frowned, not understanding what was being mentioned. "What do you mean?"

"Froggy is an illusionist," Bel pointed out.

"So..." the boy processed these words, coming to a hypothesis almost immediately, "...it's my fault Squalo is hurt...?"

"I'm sure you didn't mean it, sweetie," Lussuria reassured. "None of us told you about them so it's really our fault."

"I don't understand, though..." Fran found himself growing more distressed by the second - illusions? _His _fault...? What... What _was _he...? "Illusions...? What... What _illusions...?_"

Lussuria looked towards Bel, as if asking for him to help. The blond just shrugged, grabbing his crutches and standing up from the black fabric couch he had been sitting on.

"The prince will go talk to Squ-Squ..." With that said, Bel limped slowly towards the staircase, relying solely on his crutches to get him there.

"Lussuria...?"

The addressed man looked down at the boy. He wiped away the tears that were falling down Fran's pale cheeks, leaning down to kiss the younger's forehead.

"What is it, dear?" Lussuria asked.

Fran's tears fell harder as he whispered, "...Am I... a bad person...?"

Lussuria honestly didn't know what to say.

~~Squalo~~

Squalo had thrown himself on his bed, cursing to the skies and beyond. He was in a _foul _mood, and he couldn't find anyone other than Fran to blame - if that fucking kid hadn't used the fucking _illusion...! _

"Squ-Squ?"

"Fuck off, brat!" Squalo snapped as he heard the Storm Guardian open his bedroom door. "You're a bother!"

"But the prince has come to talk to you~" Bel made his way into the room, sitting down on the bed beside Squalo. "The prince thinks you're being a jerk to Froggy. You should say sorry to him~"

"Why?" Squalo hmphed. "He almost _killed _us _both, _brat!"

"He didn't know what he was doing," Bel protested. "Squ-Squ is being unreasonable."

"Voi! You're the one who drove him off a fucking _cliff!" _Squalo pushed himself into a sitting position, snarling these words. "And _you _knew _exactly _what you were doing! Don't fucking come in here and lecture me!"

Bel scowled at these words; he knew that Squalo was right, but there was nothing he could do about it _now _- the damage had already been done. "But the prince never blamed Froggy for it. Squ-Squ just doesn't like showing that he cares."

"Shut up, brat!"

"Froggy is really upset," Bel pointed out. "He thinks you hate him. He doesn't know what he's done wrong, though. He doesn't know about illusions or anything like that."

"If that shithead had his Hell Ring..." Squalo could only shudder at the thought of what would have happened had the boy's Hell RIng not been taken from him after the accident - neither of them would have survived; he was sure.

"But he didn't." Bel moved closer to Squalo, looking up at the red roof. "Froggy loves Squ-Squ."

"What?" Squalo didn't know how to react to these words; what was Bel talking about? Fran... loving _him? _Damnit, that fucking kid was asexual, he was sure - there was _no way _Fran would ever love someone like him. "Don't play fucking jokes on me, Bel!"

"The prince isn't playing a joke on anyone, Squ-Squ. Froggy _loves _Squ-Squ."

"And how do _you _know this?" Squalo narrowed his eyes, not sure how he should be taking these words - he knew he should be disgusted another male liked him in that way, but... it was Fran...

"The prince once asked him who he liked." Bel shrugged. "Froggy told me."

"Why didn't he tell _me?!" _Squalo snapped.

"Because Squ-Squ is a raging homophobe, despite the fact that he has to rage against part of himself to be so. Ushishishi~"

"Voi!" Squalo pointed at his door, snarling. "Get the fuck out, brat! I need to think!"

"Shishishi~" Bel did as told, leaving the room. He wondered how Squalo was going to take the news - and if Fran himself even knew that he had such a serious crush on their Strategy Captain.

_He likes me...?_ Squalo growled to himself, feeling a shiver of disgust run through his being. _How sick...! So the little asexual shithead _does _have hormones... _

But then... What have

I _been feeling for him lately...? It's disgusting... Why's a fucking _kid _turning me on, when I swore away from that part of me...? Maybe Bel's right... S_qualo sighed as he stood up, ready to leave the room. _Maybe I _do _need to talk to Fran..._

~~Fran's bedroom~~

Fran was curled up on his bed, crying as Bel sat next to him, running a hand through his teal hair. He was still really upset about Squalo's outburst towards him, finding it near impossible to comprehend everything that had happened. And that thing about illusions... That just made everything even harder to understand.

The fear that Squalo - the same man who had come back for him after the accident and taken care of him when the others couldn't - would leave him forever was tearing his heart out.

"Don't cry, Froggy..." Bel continued to run his hand through the younger's soft hair, not knowing what to do; he had never comforted someone before.

"What if..." Fran reached up to wipe at his eyes, trying his hardest to stop his tears from falling. "...What if Squalo... h-hates me...?"

"The prince doesn't think he will," Bel offered. "Squalo isn't like that."

"How do you know...?"

"Because the prince always pisses Squ-Squ off, but he never holds it against the prince." The blond offered a lopsided grin at his words. "Anyway; the prince knows Squ-Squ has a soft spot for Froggy - he'll only show that with the frog."

As if to prove Bel's point, the door to their shared bedroom opened and a long head of white hair peeked in. Squalo's eyes were narrowed, and he looked as if he were uncomfortable to be here.

"Voi, you stupid brat..." Squalo growled to Bel, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Get the fuck out."

"Ushishishi~ The prince will leave the peasants alone~" Bel spoke as if he knew something the other two didn't.

It was silent between them for a few seconds as Squalo stood awkwardly by the door, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. Fran just watched him warily, not sure what to think - why was the long-haired male _here, _after _everything _he had said earlier...?

"Hey, brat..." Squalo scuffed at the floorboards beneath his feet. "...I... I didn't mean what I said earlier, you know...?"

Fran shrugged, a mask of indifference coming onto his face - completely unaware of the fact that it was the same mask he _always _wore before the accident. "Doesn't matter. You still said it, and it still hurts..."

"Yeah, but..." Squalo bit his lip. "..."

"You hate me, I get it." Fran's voice was taking on the familiar monotone. "I guess I was stupid to trust you as much as I did. You should have just left me after the accident."

"Voi!" Squalo stomped further into the room, stopping by Fran's bed. "Stupid brat! Why would I do something like that?!"

Fran's emotionless teal eyes looked up to meet silver ones. "Because you hate me."

Squalo couldn't help but slap the boy's face at this accusation. "Stupid brat! What gives you that impression!?"

"The fact that you've treated me like shit after the fire and blamed me for it in front of everyone." There was a hint of defiance in the young voice.

Squalo reached out and grabbed teal hair, forcing Fran's face closer to his own. His eyes narrowed, his voice dangerously low. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe that's how I react when I'm _scared?"_

"..." Fran didn't reply to this; he knew Squalo had a point, but still...! What had he done to _deserve _this!? He hadn't wanted an accident, to lose his memories! He certainly didn't want to be stuck struggling to remember who these people were, or to feel safe around them! All he wanted was for things to go back to normal!

"If I _truly _blamed you, I would never have come back for you, shithead." And with that said, Squalo pressed his lips to Fran's, bringing the other into an aggressive kiss.


	9. Chapter 9

**With the different program I'm using, I notice it doesn't always copy over the font; for example, I've noticed some things that were originally in italics for thoughts that were now in normal font. I've fixed up what I noticed, but I may have missed some. **

"S-squalo...?" Fran felt heat rising to his cheeks as he pulled away from the kiss, looking anywhere but at the older male; he didn't understand why the other would suddenly kiss him for no reason - unless it was true when Squalo said he _didn't _hate him...?

"Shut up." Squalo pushed Fran down onto the bed, crawling on top of him; for once, he was going to let go of that part deep inside of him that _resented _who he was and stop resisting.

Fran's eyes widened as he watched the older man's hand travel down his chest, undoing the Varia jacket with ease. "W-what are you... d-doing...?"

"Isn't it clear?" Squalo bit down on Fran's neck, drawing a strangled yelp from the younger. "I'm proving to you that I don't hate you, shithead. Consider yourself lucky - you're the only male I'll let myself fuck."

Fran moaned as a calloused hand slipped beneath his black turtleneck. He cried out as his nipple was brushed against, his chest arching into the touch; he couldn't speak for before the accident, but he had never felt so _good _from what he could remember.

Squalo smirked at the pleasured expression that crossed Fran's face; it was such a nice change from the usual stoic one. Leaning down, he whispered into the boy's ear, his hot breath sending shivers down Fran's spine, "Does it feel good?"

The smaller boy nodded, his toes curling. "Y-yes..."

"Do you want more?" The Rain Guardian could feel his own pants tightening at his words - oh, how he had so often refused his body the things it wanted...

Fran nodded, his eyes closing. His long lashes dampened with tears that leaked from the corner of his eyes, soft moans and whimpers escaping his lips - if Fran's body was reacting so strongly to such simple touches, the boy must _really _have never pleasured himself.

The long-haired man slipped Fran's jacket and shirt over his head, leaning down to attach his mouth to the younger's collarbone. He nipped and sucked, leaving marks on the smaller boy's skin, scarred and burnt from the two recent accidents he had been involved in.

Fran moaned, tossing and turning in pleasure he couldn't remember ever feeling before. He keened loudly as his right nipple was sucked into a warm cavern, a wet tongue lavishing it with saliva.

"Squalo!" Fran cried out, his hips starting to buck of their own accord, the bulge in his pants searching desperately for friction.

The older male rocked his hips forward, angling them so that their groins rubbed against each other. He grunted as Fran started panting heavily, this new experience taking its toll on him already. His fringe started sticking to his sweaty forehead as more tears of pleasure rolled down his cheeks, his body quivering.

"Do you want me to fuck you?" Squalo grunted, reaching out to unzip Fran's Varia pants and pull them from his hips.

The boy, who really had no idea what was happening anymore with how fast things were going, could barely see past the foggy part in his brain, screaming at him to say yes so the pleasure wouldn't stop. He nodded, reaching out to grip the man's shoulders tightly, not completely sure of what he was agreeing to.

"M-more..." Fran bit his lip as a particularly loud cry left his lips, his body arching into the silver-haired male's touch. He couldn't know for sure, but something told him he had never been touched down there until now. "S-squalo... More...!"

The stronger male caressed the growing erection in his hand, pumping it slowly. He was loving the way Fran squirmed and cried out, clearly enjoying this. He quickened his pace, bringing the younger to a climax faster, smirking as the tiny boy's pleasured sounds heightened.

"S-squalo...!" Fran's body tensed as he felt a coil in his stomach snap. His hips arched into the stronger male's hands as a strangled cry left his throat. His body relaxed after a few seconds, having emptied himself all over his stomach and Squalo's hands.

Squalo sneered at the sticky liquid that had splattered over his hand before wiping it off on the black sheets of Fran's bed - just because he was bisexual didn't mean he _liked _having another male's... _stuff _on him. Hell, he wasn't even about to _consider _giving Fran a blowjob - how fucking disgusting was _that? _

Unless Fran offered to give _him _one. He could live with that - but there was no way in hell he was putting _his_ mouth anywhere _near _the smaller cock.

"Mmm..." Fran moaned, slowly coming down from his high. He was feeling tired, exhausted enough to fall asleep here and now, so when the taller male placed three fingers on his lips, he could only look up curiously.

"Suck." Squalo forced his calloused fingers into the boy's mouth, watching with greedy eyes as Fran started doing as he was told. He suppressed a shiver as he felt a wet tongue lap at his digits, lips suck at the base of them in intrigued exploration. "I'm going to fuck you so hard, you won't walk for a week."

Fran's lust-clouded eyes watched as his soon-to-be lover removed his fingers, sliding them together as if to test their slickness. He didn't quite understand why the digits he had just had in his mouth were being moved down to his backside so, when a single finger penetrated his most private spot, he could only jump and whimper.

"Relax," Squalo instructed, moving the finger against the boy's walls. "You'll like this."

"What part of you shoving your fingers inside me am I _meant_ to like?" Fran panted out, his inexperience in this field showing.

"Oh, it won't just be fingers." Squalo smirked as he added the second digit. "I'll have to shove my dick up there next."

Surprisingly, Fran didn't feel as disgusted as he knew he should by such foul words - instead, it sent a shiver of want down his spine. He didn't object to Squalo's actions until a third finger was added, stretching him tighter than the other two.

"Squalo, that hurts..." Fran tried to pull away as tears started welling up in his eyes; this pain was so foreign to him, and he didn't need his memories to know that he had never experienced it before.

"It will only hurt for a bit," the older man promised. "It will start feeling good soon."

Fran didn't understand at all how this was supposed to feel good - this was.. Well, it was _disgusting! _Why would someone shove their fingers up another guy's ass?

Did the fact that... he was sort of... _okay _with this... mean he really _was... _gay...? But wasn't Squalo a homophobe, despite the fact he himself was bisexual? Why was all of this so _confusing?_

During Fran's thoughts, he barely noticed the Rain Guardian removing his fingers; he only noticed due to the sudden lack of uncomfortable pain.

"Squalo...?" Fran whispered, in an almost _timid _voice; he hadn't forgotten about what the long-haired man had told him earlier. "Are you...?"

Squalo smirked as he nodded, removing his own Varia uniform to reveal a slim, yet strong body lined with scars of battle. What startled Fran the most, however, was the _much _larger erection waiting impatiently for him.

Squalo was supposed to put _that _inside his body...?

"Squalo, that won't fit..." the boy could feel his heart starting to race at the thought - if _fingers _had caused as much unease as they had...

"It will," the silver-haired man promised. "It will fit. Now, this might hurt..."

Fran was unprepared for when strong hands grabbed his waist, pulling him backwards while Squalo thrust towards him. His eyes widened as an unimaginable pain shot up his spine, curling his back as he felt as if his rear was being torn apart.

The taller male listened to Fran's screams and, as much as he wanted to move and fuck the younger into oblivion, he waited - having just sheathed himself inside a fragile body in one rabid thrust had done more damage than he had anticipated, the blood and thrashing told him.

"Fuck, Fran, stop moving!" Squalo snapped. "You'll make it worse!"

"It hurts!" the teal-haired boy whimpered, tears rolling down his cheeks. "It really hurts!"

"Give it a few minutes and - for fuck's sake, stop _moving!_" Squalo reached out, holding the writhing body beneath him down; he knew that if the amnesiac kept tossing and turning the way he was, he would only hurt himself more and cause further damage.

Now that pain-filled teary eyes were staring into silver ones, Squalo softened his voice. He reached out, patting soft hair as he said, "The worst is over now. Relax and it will feel good."

Fran wasn't sure whether or not to trust him - was he _supposed _to trust someone who just shoved themselves inside his body like that? But... Despite how much it had hurt, the pain was ebbing away and Squalo was being patient... The man was even occupying himself with stroking the smaller penis, slowly outweighing the pain with pleasure.

"Does it still hurt?" the stronger man questioned, rubbing his thumb against Fran's sac.

Fran gave a meek, "Yes...", yelping as he felt the other shift his hips. It agitated the pain he was feeling, and he was almost _sure _blood was leaking out onto his thighs.

"Was that too painful?" Squalo questioned, stilling his movements again. "Or can you handle it?"

Fran didn't reply; he just gripped the white bed sheets beneath his tiny hands tightly, closing his eyes as he turned his head to the side. "S-squalo..."

Squalo rocked back and forth as gently as he could, trying to get Fran used to the pain as he searched for the younger's special spot. He squeezed the flaccid member in his hands as a means to distract the injured boy, hating to hear the way Fran sobbed and whimpered in pain.

Goddamnit, why the fuck can't I find it?

Squalo wanted to growl out loud in frustration, but he knew that would only put Fran further on edge. _Maybe I was wrong and the kid really _is _asexual - can't even fucking _function _properly. Little shi - wait! _

Squalo stopped moving as he heard a cry distinctively different than the ones Fran had been making from the pain - this cry sounded more like a shrill scream, as if he was feeling so good, he couldn't handle it.

"Did you like that?" the Rain Guardian questioned. He smirked when Fran's head flopped around in place of a nod, thrusting back with noticeable force into the area he had seconds before.

"S-squalo...!" The boy's usually soft voice was now high-pitched, brimming with pleasure. He tossed and turned, his hips pressing down against his lover's. "M-more...!"

The Varia Rain Guardian leant down, placing his mouth against Fran's throat. He bit down, sucking and licking at the red mark he was creating. Fran didn't seem bothered; if anything, he liked it, if the way he was pressing his throat into the other's mouth was any indication.

The boy had never felt so good before - his body was quivering with pleasure so great, he could barely contain it. The hand that was moving against his shaft was pure euphoria, and the way Squalo pummelled away inside of him made it unbelievably better. He could feel a knot in his stomach tightening, and he couldn't stop the way his toes curled.

Squalo grunted as his quickened his pace, thrusting harder and harder into the boy who was screaming out his name. He could feel Fran's walls pulsing, clenching around him rhythmically. He knew Fran, as a virgin, wouldn't hold out much longer.

"Damnit it, Fran..." Squalo panted, his sweat-slicked body sliding against the frail one beneath him effortlessly. "Fuck, you're so fucking _tight..."_

"S-squalo..." Tears leaked harder down Fran's face as his hips continued to buck, harder and faster than ever. He could feel the coil in his stomach snapping, the way his walls spasmed around the older man's shaft. He whimpered loudly, reaching out to pull at long, silver strands. "C-can't... Squalo... It... I...!"

"Let it happen," Squalo soothed, using his free hand to caress a tear-stained cheek. "Let it happen, Fran. Come for me."

Fran's face twisted into one of immense pleasure, his usually-pale cheeks as red as an apple. His eyes were tightly closed, biting his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood.

"Ungh... Ah...!" Fran screamed as he came hard over his stomach, squirting all the way up to his chin. His walls clamped down on his lover, milking Squalo to his own release.

The older Varia member grunted as he emptied himself in the boy before slumping over the younger. It was quiet, except for their heavy breathing and pants that conveyed their exhaustion.

When Squalo rolled off the boy to instead lay next to him, he almost pushed the other away out of instinct when Fran rested his head on his sweaty chest. However, seeing the peaceful look on the younger's face he had _never _seen before, he decided against it - he _had _just taken Fran's virginity, after all.

Instead, wrapping his arms aroung the still-shaking body and pulling it on top of him, Squalo rested his chin in sweaty teal hair. He rubbed the wet, bare skin of Fran's back, feeling the way tiny fingers curled around his wrist. The tiny boy pressed himself as close as possible to his lover, his eyes slipping closed. He ignored the blood that stuck to his thighs, and the bodily liquids that rolled out of his behind to join it; all that mattered was being here with Squalo - and whether or not he had his memories didn't matter to him; he had Squalo now, and he could make a fresh start; he had a strange feeling in his heart that his previous life hadn't gone the way he wanted it to; now, he had the power to change that.

And change it, he would.


End file.
